Project Public Health Ready Criteria

The Project Public Health Ready (PPHR) criteria are nationally-recognized standards for local public health preparedness. They have been field tested and approved by local health departments and are updated regularly to incorporate current research and guidelines from key federal programs, such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's public health emergency preparedness capabilities., the National Incident Management System (NIMS), and the Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program (HSEEP).

PPHR has three project goals: all-hazards emergency preparedness and response planning, workforce capacity development, and quality improvement through exercises and real events. Each of these goals has its own comprehensive list of criteria based on a continuous quality improvement (CQI) model. Local health departments seeking PPHR recognition must demonstrate proficiency in all three goal areas.

The PPHR re-recognition criteria are for PPHR-recognized agencies that need to renew their status. The re-recognition criteria are designed to focus on workforce capacity development, demonstration of readiness through exercise or real events, and continuous quality improvement in public health preparedness planning and response efforts. Applicants are expected to have maintained and updated the all-hazards plan that they developed for their initial PPHR recognition and must provide evidence to meet key criteria elements added since their previous recognition.